It may only be the third week of the SSE Airtricity League first division season, but Galway FC will be especially keen to post a win when Shamrock Rovers B visit Eamonn Deacy Park tomorrow evening.
Last Friday's decent draw with Waterford United showcased Galway FC's resilience, but manager Tommy Dunne reckons it can only be truly viewed as a positive result if his side can start registering victories.
“It was a good hard-working display,” Dunne said. “It showed a different side to our team as well, that we are prepared to battle. I didn’t think we won the battle against Longford Town, but against Waterford I thought we might have shaded it probably in the second half.
“Sometimes you’ve got to realise that nights like that, you might not be able to play the way you would like to play, so it was a good learning curve for everybody. If we didn't have character or bottle, we might have lost, so it is a really good point so long as we pick up a win in our next game.”
Having drawn against Cobh Ramblers, a youthful Rovers B outfit were comprehensively defeated by Finn Harps at Tallaght Stadium last Sunday. Dunne wants Galway FC to convert the opportunities they manufacture in the coming weeks and months. “In a way you don't know what you are going to get against Rovers B team, but it will be another tough match. We have to be prepared to battle.”
“Early on in the season there won't be too many chances in games, so we need to take the chance we make.”
Five teenagers were included in Colin Hawkins' Rovers' starting XI when Harps visited the capital, including some familiar surnames for Hoops' followers. Evan Osam (son of Paul ), Daniel Purdy (son of Richie ), and Ryan Doolin (nephew of Paul ) all started for Rovers, who will be brought west by Galway native Hawkins.
Having played under John Joyce's tutelage at Newcastle United in the city Hawkins also had a stint with Salthill Devon before enjoying a successful playing career. Now he is eager to make an impact as a coach with Rovers and spoke about coming back Corribside following the Harps reversal. "I've lots of good memories of football in Galway,” Hawkins commented. "I'm delighted Galway are back. They had a massive crowd for their first game and then they drew last week with Waterford.
"It's back to Deacy Park where I've a lot of good memories. I would have grown up as a kid watching Galway United through the years. I played plenty of games there, all underages game in Galway at u-14 and u-16 before I went away. I've a lot of good memories growing up watching the likes of Johnny Glynn, Tommy Keane, and those guys."
